A Pinotphiles guide to Winter Reds wine festival

If snuggling up next to a crackling log fire, sipping on Pinot Noir and indulging in a hearty meal tickles your fancy, then Winter Reds – the annual wintertime wine festival of the Adelaide Hills – is calling your name!

Winter Reds, held across July 28-30, features unique red wine focused events, while also showcasing the culinary expertise of acclaimed local chefs who ‘play with fire’ – roasting, barbecuing and braising top produce – to serve up some pretty damn tasty food.

During winter we love to sip and savour all red wine varieties, but here at Pinosity, Pinot Noir has a special place in our heart.

Pinot Noir is well suited to the cool climate slopes and ancient soils of the Hills. The local styles you can expect to enjoy range from earthy and spice-driven wines, to bright, silky and smooth wines.

So, pull on your warmest winter clothes and head to the Adelaide Hills on the last weekend of July to check out our list of the top Winter Reds events for Pinotphiles.

The darker side of Pinot Noir

A round of applause for Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard please… their event ‘Pinot in the Dark’ is all about Pinot Noir. Discover eight consecutive vintages of single vineyard, estate grown Pinot Noir matched to a four-course dinner featuring delicious South Australian produce.

Two great indulgences

Indulge in local bratwurst, baby gherkins, mini balsamic pickled onions, Hills fruit and plenty of ciabatta dipped into luxurious molten cheese lava – then wash it all down with a glass of 2014 Henschke Giles Pinot Noir.

A Pinot pioneer masterclass

The Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir pioneer, Tim Knappstein of Riposte Wines, and local eatery Miss Perez Kitchen are inviting Pinotphiles to pull up a seat by the fire and discover the art of Paella and Pinot Noir in a unique masterclass format.

Ripsote’s 2014 The Sabre Pinot Noir scored a gold medal from James Halliday, with the renowned wine critic saying the drop has an “utterly convincing varietal character, spiced black cherries allied with touches of charcuterie, the texture/mouthfeel with enough complexity to take it into the top echelon.”

The Hills are alive with Pinot Noir

While the Winter Reds program isn’t solely focussed on Pinot Noir, as a leading producer of the variety in Australia you’ll be spoilt for choice, with a number of wineries serving up Pinot Noir throughout the weekend.

Lobethal Road is hosting its ‘Fire & Spice’ event on Sunday, where the winery’s award winning Shiraz, Tempranillo Graciano and Pinot Noir will be served with oysters and Asian cuisine.

Artwine’s menu features slow braised lamb shoulder and twice cooked duck, paired with a suite of red wines. The perfect opportunity to try their 2015 Saint Vincent Pinot Noir, which has aromas of enticing florals and strawberries on the nose, leading to a fresh palate of cherries with spicy notes and earthy hints.

For those after something a little more relaxed, Nepenthe is the place to be – with its winter food truck picnic serving up a selection of Mediterranean foods alongside their collection of reds including favourites, The Good Doctor Pinot Noir and Altitude Pinot Noir.